Prince of Darkness
by meepscrawler
Summary: Years after the crew of Serenity came together. The galaxy is aware of the existence of vampires, werewolves, and other such demons and the Alliance is doing its best to kill them all. Vampire!Mal, Vampire!River, and Werewolf!Jayne.
1. Chapter 1

Author Note: Don't worry, I haven't given up on Rash, but chapter three just doesn't want to be written. Steve (my muse) refuses to tell me what I should be doing. So I'm distracting myself with this, and hopefully Steve will provide me with details for Rash. This story is an experiment, of sorts. Please tell me if you want me to continue with this idea. It's a bit of a Buffy/Firefly crossover, but I'm not planning on including any of the Buffy (and/or Angel) characters in this story.

CHAPTER ONE

YEAR: 2807 AD

Shepherd Cray Fullern locked the door to the church. It was very late at night, but he had gotten caught up in an interesting conversation about the Great Flood on Earth-That-Was with his good friend, Shepherd Mark Brammel. Brammel had apparently already left, so Cray was left to wait for the city transport to pick him up at the transport stop.

Cray Fullern sat down on the bench and flipped open his Bible to one of his favorite passages. He read in silence until he heard the whir of the city transport's engine. The door opened, and Cray stepped inside.

"And where will you be headed, Shepherd?" the driver asked, looking at him over the edge of the seat. "This here's my last run for the night, seein' as how there's no one but you two on board."

"Ah, yes. Flinchly Alley, please, Apartment Complex D," Shepherd Fullern said, looking back through the transport, and saw a man several rows back, fast asleep.

"Right then. Settle yourself down, Shepherd, and we'll be on our way."

Cray sat down in the seat right behind the driver. The transport door closed, and soon they were off.

"So, Shepherd, how come you're out alone so late at night? All manner of nasty beasts are roaming the streets at these hours," the driver said conversationally.

"I'm well aware of that. But God is watching over me, and I will put my safety in his protecting hands," Shepherd Fullern told him.

"That's a lot of faith you've got there," the driver chuckled. "Ever wondered if maybe it was a little misplaced?"

"No," Cray said, frowning slightly. "Wait- you missed the turn."

"Well ain't that a shame?" the driver laughed again. "Hang on, we'll make a turn up here and go back."

Instead of turning, they pulled over to a rickety old house and stopped. Cray stood up. "Excuse me, but I thought…" Cray noticed for the first time that although he could see his own reflection in the rearview mirror quite clearly, he couldn't see the driver's at all. The transport door opened, and a young woman stepped in, with dark brown hair hanging in curtains around her face.

"You brought me dinner," she said a little abstractedly. "How nice."

"Well, I couldn't let my little albatross starve, could I?" the driver told her.

Vampires! Cray realized, stumbling back. He had landed himself with vampires! He looked around frantically, and saw an emergency exit at the back of the transport. He scrambled to it, making one last, fatal mistake halfway through. He stopped to save the sleeping man, only to discover bite marks on his neck and a badge identifying him as the real driver of the city transport. Then he was grabbed from behind by the male vampire. He got one scream out before he was gagged.

The vampires dragged him and the body inside. Cray was thrown to the floor of the old house. The full moon shone in through cracks in the wall, and a horrible rustling noise came from the back of the house. An impossibly large wolf padded forward and into the light, panting in its eagerness for a fresh meal.

"Here, Jayne, got you a nice young transport driver here," the male vampire said enticingly.

The werewolf sniffed the body and growled.

"Sorry," the vampire said apologetically. "I couldn't resist a little nibble."

With another growl the werewolf dragged the body into the shadows. Shepherd Cray tried to block out the horrible noises it made as it feasted on the driver.

The female vampire knelt before Cray and poked him a few times. "This one's so old, Mal. He'll get stuck in my teeth," she complained.

"You have to eat, River," the male vampire said gently. "You need to keep up your strength- especially after our last run-in with purple-bellies."

"If you insist," she sighed.

"Next time I'll get you a pretty little girl. With flowers and bonnets and dollies for keep," Mal promised.

"Okay," she brightened up.

Cray leaned away from the vampire as she closed in, but inside he knew it was a futile gesture.

YEAR: Circa 2507 AD

"Why are you so worried about this?" Mal groaned in frustration. "It's just the kind of stories that you tell your children to make them behave. You know- 'eat your vegetables or a vampire will get you!'."

Inara threw the newspaper on the kitchen table. "Because they're more than just stories, and you know it! There have been rumors about this for ages-"

"And that's all they are- rumors," Mal cut in.

Inara ignored him and rushed on. "For ages, but only recently have they become a significant threat. Mal, this is the thirtieth body found like this in one week- and that's just for a small border moon like this one! It's even worse on other planets, especially on the Outer Rim! Look at the bite marks on this girl's neck-"

"What makes you say they're bite marks?"

"Because they're also on the bodies of so many other victims- Mal, this is getting out of control! The facts are all lining up, and there's too many of them to ignore-"

"There's no facts! Only superstitious suspicions! People don't have enough proof to find the real murderers, so they're blaming all these killings on ancient myths from Earth-That-Was."

"What about the werewolf sightings?" Inara asked passionately. "What about them?"

"I believe them about as much as I believe all the alien scams that folk come up with. 'Sides, I've seen some pretty big dogs," Mal shrugged.

"Fine!" Inara gave up, storming out of the common area. "Just keep ignoring what's right in front of you!"

Mal wore his smirk until he was sure that he was alone. Then he looked down at the picture on the main page, focusing on two tiny little punctures on the dead girl's neck, his face a solemn as it had ever been.

END OF CHAPTER ONE

Okay, so, please, tell me what you think. Your reviews will feed Steve, who in turn will inspire me to write more (on both this story and Rash).


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, sorry for the long break! I could give you all the (completely true) excuses involving computer trouble and stuff, but I think I'll just stick with making it up to you guys by updating my fics. Sound good?

Now, a couple of notes before we begin chapter two. Each chapter will be split in two, one set Circa 2507 AD, the other set about three hundred years later. The earlier half takes place after War Stories, but definitely before Inara decides to leave. Might even be set before The Message, if Steve decides that Tracey should be in this story.

My second note, is to explain why I'm writing this story. Mal finally gets his revenge on the Alliance. That's my reason, pure and simple. So, very anti-Alliance stuff in here, and you get to see how things might be able to finally go Mal's way.

NOW you can start reading.

CHAPTER TWO

YEAR: Circa 2507 AD

Kaylee nervously held the bags closer to her chest as she stood outside the local spare parts shop. She'd collected the parts she'd ordered (at least, the ones that she had managed to convince the captain that they needed), and now she was waiting for Book and Simon to pick her up. They were only supposed to make one tiny stop on their way.

She forced herself to take a deep breath. The store had closed hours ago, and it was nearing midnight. Usually that alone was enough to make her skittish, because she was really more of a daytime person. But now, with all those strange rumors and stories that had been circulating, night was starting to seem like a downright dangerous time.

Kaylee started whistling under her breath, trying to keep her spirits up. She shouldn't have insisted on coming out alone when the captain offered to have someone escort her.

"Shouldn't girls like you be home in bed by now?"

Kaylee almost dropped her packages. "Simon!" she was so glad to see him that she forgot to reprimand him for startling her. "God! Where's Shepherd Book?"

Simon looked at her strangely. "He's… he's waiting for us. Come on."

Kaylee followed him, grumbling to herself about the unfairness of having to carry all the bags by herself.

"Just drop them," Simon told her irritably.

"Drop them?" Kaylee repeated, shocked. "Simon, what's wrong with you tonight? You look a little off."

"I'm fine," Simon spread his arms. "Better than fine, Kaylee, and you'll see why soon." He pointed to an alley a few blocks ahead. "There. That's where we're going."

"Why?" Kaylee asked. "Simon-"

Simon spun on her in a fury, knocking the bags out of her arms. "Stop asking so many questions, and just follow me!" He struggled to control himself as Kaylee shied back from him. "Look, I'm sorry okay? Come on… I just really want to get there soon."

Kaylee bit her lip. She'd never seen Simon act this way, and it was really scaring her. She covered her hesitation by bending down to pick up the parts.

"I said leave them," Simon pulled her away from the bags.

"But Serenity needs those! She'll just fall right out of the sky if I don't put 'em in before she flies again!" Kaylee protested, tears forming in her eyes from her fear and confusion. "Please, Simon!"

"We'll come back for them! Come, now!" he commanded her, squeezing her wrist so hard she started to bruise.

"Ow- ow, Simon, you're hurting me!"

Simon ignored her, already walking to the alley and dragging her behind him. "This won't take long, I just need to get you out of sight…"

"Out of sight? Ouch, Simon!"

"Yes," Simon pulled her into the shadows with him. "Yes, out of sight, no one can see this."

"See what?" Kaylee pulled her hand away from him, massaging her wrist. She looked back over her shoulder at the bags. "Simon, someone could steal those, or-"

"Or- or! Who cares?" Simon snapped. "They won't matter anymore, not when I'm done, so Kaylee, please, just relax!"

Kaylee stared at him. "Simon… what are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"I've been given something wonderful, Kaylee, and I want you to have it, too. I want all of Serenity's crew to have it," he said slowly. Then, with a pained expression, he glanced toward the other side of the alley. "Well, everyone but Book…"

Kaylee followed his gaze, down the dark path, and landing on a sprawled form in a puddle of something dark and fluid. "Oh God! Book! Shepherd Book!" she cried out, stepping toward him.

Simon stopped her. "He's beyond our help, Kaylee! I tried to sire him, I really did, but I did it wrong, fed too long or something, and now he's gone. And stop screaming."

Kaylee stared at him in horror. "Fed? You ate him? How could you eat…oh…" she stepped back fearfully.

"Don't run from me, Kaylee. I'm only trying to-"

"No!" Kaylee screamed. "No, Simon, no! Not you! Please, god, no…" She tried to will her weak legs to run, but they weren't working right.

"Kaylee, stop!"

"No, don't hurt me!" Kaylee held up her hands.

"I love you! I wouldn't hurt you, not ever! I promise! I only want you to be with me forever!" Simon pleaded.

Kaylee stopped when he told her he loved her. She leaned against the side of the building, with her hands over her chest and her mind still reeling from too many shocks and losses in a row.

"Now please, just stand still…" Simon whispered reassuringly, stepping closer to her and brushing her hair away from her neck.

YEAR: 2807 AD

Hoban Washburn III stared into his fireplace. He was a quiet, peaceful young man, and the war and bloodshed just wasn't in his character. He hated the role her was forced to play in the slaughter of thousands, hated the way he was used for the Prince's own destructive purposes. But he had no choice in the matter. For three hundred years the Prince had watched over his family, making sure that they were protected. He owed the Prince his life, and that of his entire family. Of course, at the moment, he was completely alone, with his parents recently deceased, and he having no wife or children of his own.

Times like these he wondered if he could get away with running form the Prince. Which, speak of the devil, almost quite literally… he walked over to his door and opened it to see who was knocking. Predictably, the man (uh, vampire) in question was standing right there, with his typical look of disdain.

"Can I come in?" he asked without any formalities whatsoever.

"Of course!" Hoban hastened to get out of his way. "You're always welcome here. You should know that."

"Good to know," he whistled, and his giant werewolf trotted in obediently after him.

Hoban scratched Jayne behind his ears. The werewolf leaned up against him and thumped his tail on the floor. "So, to what do I owe this pleasure, Mal?"

The Prince flopped down on Hoban's favorite chair. "What, no small talk?"

"Uh, how are you?" Hoban shrugged, sitting down across from him.

"Could be better," Mal said. Jayne settled down on the floor in between them with a muffled groan.

Hoban smiled thinly. "I'm guessing that Jayne has seen better days as well?"

"Yeah, well, he's older than most werewolves- not that a werewolf doesn't live for a fair spell, but Jayne here- oldest one around," Mal said glumly. "He has a few more miles left in him, though."

Jayne woofed quietly, as though he could tell that they were talking about him.

"I've never seen him in human form," Hoban said casually, still wondering why the Prince was here.

Mal scowled. "Thanks to the Alliance and their gorram 'subhuman experiments', he doesn't have a human form anymore. Got stuck in wolf mode early on in the war. Doubt he even remembers what it's like to be human. Not that it's a bad thing."

"And how is River?"

Mal stood up suddenly. Hoban, startled, quickly stood up with him. Mal started pacing agitatedly. "Mal?"

"You heard what happened to her?"

"No- no, I'm quite cut off from everyone else here," Hoban answered, alarmed. As much as he was wary of Mal, he quite liked River. She was kind to him, and usually less actively anti-human than her partner.

"They crucified her," the Prince moaned, collapsing back in the chair. "The dirty hun dans stole my Bride and crucified her!"

Hoban slowly sank back down. "How… how is she?"

"How is she? How is she?" the Prince laughed bitterly. "Weak- awfully weak. If a small cross can scar us bad, then just imagine how terrible it is to hang on a rutting big one."

Hoban rubbed his eyes. "So do you want a spell?" Hoban knew that the only reason why the Prince guarded his family so zealously was because vampires couldn't exactly perform magic, so he needed someone completely human to do the spellwork. "Because I think-"

"I don't want a spell. I want my sire. I want Ripper."

Hoban slowly tensed up. "Well, it's hard to tell where he is now, he travels around a lot…"

"But you know where he's been last?" Mal interrupted.

"Uh, yes…" Hoban swallowed hard.

"Good. Then tell me where that is, and I'll be one my way with Jayne here."

"What about River?"

Mal looked at him like the answer was obvious. "You're staying with her."

"Oh, of course…" Hoban smiled. "Well, that should be interesting."

The Prince smirked. "Thank you for your cooperation. Now, for Ripper's location…"

END OF CHAPTER TWO

Lol, okay, that was mostly just providing background information, but I do hope y'all decide to keep reading.


	3. Chapter 3

THANKS MUCH TO ALL WHO READ! And especially thanks to those who reviewed, random girl (lol? Do you have a real screenname here?) Skychaser, and When your strange. And a BIG thanks to my beta, QueenofAngstRomance. Here's the next chapter.

CHAPTER THREE

YEAR: Circa 2507 AD

Simon ran down the streets, dragging Kaylee behind him. They were both laughing in a breathless fashion when they got back onto Serenity.

Kaylee leaned on Simon. "Wow, this is fun."

"I love welcome mats. Malefactors like us can just walk right in," Simon smirked. "A welcome mat is just as good as an invitation… or even better!'

"Well, I'm so glad the both of you had fun on your little excursion." They looked up to see Mal standing on the walkway. "Tell me, have either of you heard of 'curfew'?"

Simon laughed. "Yeah."

"Oh, but the greatest thing happened to us, cap'n!" Kaylee enthused.

"I don't rightly care. I thought you was supposed to be bringin' our girl back some needed parts. Where are those needed parts?"

"We left 'em," Kaylee shrugged. Mal stopped in his tracks and stared at her. Such a blatantly mutinous attitude was unusual for his mechanic.

"Kaylee," Mal began, but Simon cut in impatiently.

"Shut up. Listen, I have a debt to repay." Before Mal could retort, Simon bounded up the stairs and met him halfway up. He pushed Mal down roughly. "Where is everyone else?"

"Probably in their bunks," Kaylee answered for Mal.

Mal fumbled for his gun. Simon casually knocked it out of his hands. "Go and check on them for me, would you Kaylee? The captain and I have some business to take care of." Kaylee nodded and skipped off while Simon straddled Mal.

"Simon-" Mal started angrily, but Simon hit him across the face.

"I said shut up! Now, you've taken me in, me and River. You've looked out for us. I appreciate this," Simon paused. He covered Mal's mouth with his hand and kept him pinned down. "You've given us a home, a family, protected and sheltered us. I need to return the favor." Mal stared up at him defiantly, but also definitely curious. Simon leered at him. "I'm going to introduce you to a brave new world, Mal."

Kaylee peeked into the cockpit. "Hiya, Wash!" she said cheerfully.

Wash bolted out of his seat. "Kaylee! Hey- you- where have you been? We've been worrying, and we looked for you guys, but you weren't anywhere in town…"

"Sorry. The past few days have been a little… hectic…" Kaylee answered vaguely.

"Yeah, I'd say," Wash looked down sadly. "Uh, Kaylee… Book's dead. They found his body in an alley… no one really knows what happened to him, but… Well, Inara's in town with Zoe, they're talking to the police about it…"

Kaylee's eyes filled with tears and her lip quivered. "W-what? H-he's dead?" Wash hugged her tightly. She sobbed into his shoulder.

"I know… it's awful…" Wash said lamely, not entirely sure what else to say. "Uh, are you all right? I mean, you've been gone a while…"

"Yeah…I'm fine," Kaylee morphed into her vampire face. "In fact, never been better!" She pulled back and cupped Wash's face in her hands. "And you'll feel the same, soon enough."

Wash's eyes widened. "Kaylee? What-" his last words were drowned out as Kaylee bit into his neck.

YEAR: 2807 AD

Daniel replayed the footage from Three Hills again. And again. The news reporters were covering the crucifixion of River, and then the demons came… he watched the Prince break down the cross and pick up his bride. Daniel ignored the screams and random violence of the townspeople, soldiers, or newscast- he focused on the worst of the vampires. Mal turned, holding River close to him, his face set coldly in dark fury. Behind him his faithful werewolf companion prowled. Even over all the noise the slaughter was making, he could hear Jayne's hair-raising howl.

"Sir?" the Alliance soldier behind him dared to interrupt him. "Your ship is ready."

"I'll be there shortly," he answered in his typical clipped voice.

"Yes, sir."

Daniel watched the clip one last time. "Do you remember, monster, what you did to Fess and Inara Higgins?" he asked the image of the Prince. "Do you remember siring him and burying him alive? Do you remember throwing her from her balcony?" The image didn't, couldn't, hear him. He stepped back. "Would you? Are they just lost in your long list of homicides?"

He turned off the screen and left the room, heading for his ship. He would catch the Prince- and he would make him suffer for his crimes.

END OF CHAPTER THREE

As I'm writing this chapter, I'm listening to Disturbed's 'Down With The Sickness'. Really sets the mood for this fic. Other songs I like to listen to when writing this are Evanescence's 'Thoughtless', Three Days Grace 'Riot', 'On My Own', 'One-X', and 'Animal I Have Become'. And I totally don't know why I just said all that, maybe just 'cuz I wanted y'all to know what some of my inspirations for this fic were.


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